Edelweiss
Leontopodium nivale, commonly called edelweiss , is a mountain flower belonging to the daisy or sunflower family Asteraceae. The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about altitude. It is a non-toxic plant. Its leaves and flowers are covered with dense hairs, which appear to protect the plant from cold, aridity, and ultraviolet radiation. The filamentary wool has sub-micrometer internal structure that contributes to scattering and absorption of near-ultraviolet radiation, which is interpreted as an adaptive trait for high-altitude UV exposure. It is a scarce, short-lived flower found in remote mountain areas and has been used as a symbol for alpinism, for rugged beauty and purity associated with the Alps and Carpathians. It is a national symbol of several countries, specifically Bulgaria, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Italy. In Romania it was declared a "monument of nature" in 1931. The Edelweiss day is celebrated on 5 March. According to folk tradition, giving this flower to a loved one is a promise of dedication.
Names
The flower's common name is German, and is a compound of "noble" and "white". The Slovene name is planika, meaning mountain girl. In Romanian, it is known as floare de colț, which means "cliff flower". The flower is referred to as stella alpina in the Italian-speaking Alps and étoile des Alpes in the French Alps, meaning "star of the Alps".Edelweiß was one of several regional names for the plant and achieved wide usage during the first half of the 19th century in the context of early Alpine tourism. Alternative names include Chatzen-Talpen and the older Wullbluomen.
The scientific name Leontopodium is a latinisation of the Ancient Greek leontopódion, "lion's paw". The Latin specific epithet nivale means "snow" or "snowy".
Taxonomy
Since 1822, Leontopodium has no longer been considered part of the genus Gnaphalium, but classified alongside it as a distinct genus within the tribe Gnaphalieae. In 2003, Leontopodium alpinum was re-classified as a subspecies of Leontopodium nivale. The World Flora Online and subsequent taxonomic resources reflect this subspecific treatment: Leontopodium nivale subsp. alpinum Greuter and Leontopodium nivale subsp. nivale.Description
The plant's leaves and flowers are covered with white hairs, and appear woolly. Flowering stalks of edelweiss can grow to a size of in the wild, or, up to in cultivation. Each bloom consists of five to six small yellow clustered spikelet-florets surrounded by fuzzy white "petals" in a double-star formation. The flowers bloom between July and September.Habitat and distribution
Leontopodium nivale prefers rocky limestone locations in the Alps, Pyrenees Mountains, and the Italian Apennines at about altitude.Range and substrate
The species is native to European mountains with a distribution centred on the Alps and extending westwards to the Pyrenees and eastwards into parts of the Balkans and the Apennines. Populations are typically restricted to exposed, calcareous scree and rocky cliffs, often on north-facing slopes where microclimate and substrate reduce competition from taller vegetation. Modern taxonomic resources map the species and its subspecies across central and southern European mountain ranges.Altitude and ecology
Typical elevations are approximately 1,800–3,400 m, although local populations may occur slightly outside this range depending on exposure and substrate. Plants are adapted to high UV, strong winds, wide temperature fluctuations and thin soils; the woolly hairs on leaves and bracts reduce water loss and block or scatter harmful ultraviolet wavelengths.Conservation
Leontopodium nivale is considered a least concern species by the IUCN. The IUCN assessment notes historic population declines in places due to overcollection and local habitat loss, but reports that the overall species is not currently at high risk of extinction across its full range. Conservation measures that have helped stabilize populations include national legal protection in some countries, establishment of protected mountain areas and national parks that encompass large habitat patches, and ex-situ conservation.Threats and measures
The main pressures recorded historically were collection from the wild and localized trampling/vegetation change from tourism and overgrazing on some sites. Because many populations are small and fragmented and occur in restricted alpine habitats, local threats can have outsized impacts; therefore many jurisdictions include edelweiss in lists of protected alpine plants or regulate collection. The IUCN recommends continued monitoring of population trends and protection of key subpopulations within well-managed protected areas; ex-situ cultivation and seed banking are employed by botanical gardens as complementary measures.Cultivation
Leontopodium nivale is grown in gardens for its interesting inflorescence and silver foliage. It grows in the end of May The plants are short lived and can be grown from seed.Growing requirements and propagation
Edelweiss is best cultivated in rock gardens or well-drained gritty substrates that mimic its natural calcareous scree habitat. It requires full sun, excellent drainage, and low to moderate fertility; poorly drained soils or heavy fertilization quickly reduce plant vigor and longevity. Plants are generally short-lived perennials in cultivation but can be maintained by regular sowing from seed or by lifting and dividing clumps where permitted. Propagation is most commonly by seed, and some horticultural varieties have been selected for compact habit or longer flowering. Because wild collection was historically a threat, responsible horticulture relies on nursery-propagated stock and seed provenance records.Chemical constituents
Compounds of different classes, such as terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, fatty acids and polyacetylenes are reported in various parts of edelweiss plants. Leoligin was reported as the major lignan constituent and has been investigated for effects on cholesterol efflux in cell models; the principal phytochemistry has made edelweiss extracts of interest to the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.The edelweiss has been used in traditional folk medicine in the Alps for centuries. Extracts from different parts of plants have been used to treat abdominal pain, respiratory diseases, heart disease, and against diarrhea. That is why it was also known as the bellyache flower for a long time. It was also used by the mountain people as a durable flower in dry bouquets. The cosmetics industry became aware of the plant and its extracts a few years ago.
Symbolic uses
In the 19th century, the edelweiss became a symbol of the rugged purity of the Alpine region and of its native inhabitants.The passion for edelweiss, which had previously been neglected, began in the middle of the 19th century. The focus is on an incident from 1856, when the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I went on a mountain hike to the Pasterzen Glacier on the Großglockner with his wife Sisi. There the emperor picked his wife an edelweiss from the steep rock with the words "The first in my life that I picked myself". The affection for edelweiss was a common feature of the famous couple and this well-known story raised people's attention to this alpine plant.
The plant became known as a symbol of the Austrian Empress Elisabeth. A portrait by the painter Franz Xaver Winterhalter painted in 1865 shows Empress Elisabeth with nine artificial edelweiss stars braided in her hair. The jewelry made of precious metal and diamonds was designed in the years after 1850 by the then court and chamber jeweler Alexander Emanuel Köchert.
With the rise of mountain tourism at the end of the 19th century, the edelweiss became the badge and symbol of alpinists and mountaineers. In order to prevent the extinction of the often picked symbolic species, it was placed under nature protection early on. The edelweiss was soon adopted as a symbol in the logo of numerous alpine clubs and associations. In the Austro-Hungarian Army in particular, the symbolic relationship between defiant, frugal and resilient alpine plants, and the required perseverance, agility and cutting edge of the alpine troops was recognized, emphasized, and often promoted by badges and designations. The Alpen-Edelweiss was assigned as a badge by Emperor Franz Joseph to troops of the Austro-Hungarian Army intended for use in the mountains. It was worn on the collar of the uniform skirt.
In Berthold Auerbach's novel Edelweiss, the difficulty for an alpinist to acquire an edelweiss flower was exaggerated to the point of claiming: "the possession of one is a proof of unusual daring." This idea at the time was becoming part of the popular mythology of early alpinism. Auerbach's novel appeared in English translation in 1869, prefaced with a quote attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Together with the alpine gentian, the edelweiss is also a symbol of lonely peaks and pure air in the Alps today. These plants are celebrated with songs and many souvenirs related to them are sold.
Before 1914
- The edelweiss was established in 1907 as the sign of the Imperial-Royal Mountain Troops by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These original three Regiments wore their edelweiss on the collar of their uniform. Before 1918 there were also innumerable edelweiss badges in the Habsburg army. These include, for example, the military mountain guide award, edelweiss emblems on the collar and cap or badges from alpine patrol companies. Many alpine units, commandos and soldiers proudly wore unofficial edelweiss badges.
- The edelweiss also played a role in the troop designation, which also reflected the special relationship with the mountains. In addition to the "Edelweiss Corps" of Archduke Joseph Ferdinand, an "Edelweiss Division" was formed in the course of the First World War. It essentially consisted of Kaiserjäger of the 3rd and 4th regiments, the Salzburg infantry regiment "Archduke Rainer" No. 59 and the Upper Austrian infantry regiment "Grand Duke of Hesse and the Rhine" No. 14. In 1915, World War I, the edelweiss was granted to the German alpine troops for their bravery. Today, it is still the insignia of the Austrian, French, Slovenian, Polish, Romanian, and German alpine troops.
- In the Swiss Army, the highest ranks have badges in the form of edelweiss flowers, where other military branch badges would have stars.